Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-04-19

| ton was veDtured upon. lChrels'J LUZ
Harrington then proceeded, deprecatipg tne
prolonged discussion of the bill. He sald IL
was certain that the government would sue
coed in restoring the authority OF Inc Jaw.
It was impossible that the government OF
great country should be permanently para
{ lyZed by the Vaccinations of secret societies.
Cheers.
Mr.. Gladstone, upon rising, was loudly
cheered. He said ttat II the bill passed the
political subscriptions from America, which
some of the speakers had condemned, we're
likely 10 increase-not tho Irish sub5cfp'
! tions alone, but those humane contributions
which were rejecting such n splendid light
upon America. He and his supporters had
been charged with Inconsistency in propos-
ing coercion in former times and opposing
it now. He might admit feeling shame over
the failure Of coercion, but he did not refuse
the lessons of experience. Cheers. The
mandate given at the last election was TO
govern Ireland without coercion. When
the liberals passed the coercion bill they
passed remedial measures also. Were the
governments remedial proposals reality
or an imposture? Cheers. He would
withdraw that expression and say illusion.
Laughter. Did the government intend to
stand or fail by their relief bill? Before
they went to division tonight he hoped
and expected they would give clear, IN
mistakable and unequivocal answer to that
question. Mr.. Gladstone complained that
the government had withheld from Parlia-
ment information regarding the state of
crime in Ireland, Of which there had been
no sufficient increase to justify the bill. The
| only increase was in menacng letters.
Were these outrages? A voice, Yes"
| Then he had been subject to hundreds of
outrages Laughter. Proceeding to deal
with the bill, Mr.. Gladstone contend
ed with the Clauses embodying the
"Whiteboy acts' ought to be set out
in full. The essence of the bill was TO
suppress any combination to secure re-
duction of rent. He repealed and repu-
dated the allegation that it was crimes
bill. 1t was not intended to suppress ex-
istent crimes known to the law, but it was
q bill that made things crimes that never
were crimes. Conspiracy was already
punishable crime, therefore the introduction
of the conspiracy clause in the present bill
might fairly be called nonsense. A tenant
refusing to pay rent had the prospect held
out to him of obtaining reduction by be-
coming bankrupt. At the same time he
would get The benefit of six months hard
labor. Laughter 1t was bill aimed at
o nation. Parnel!ite cheers The boycott
ting which was done in England, especially
among the upper classes, was done in wan.
tonnes. In Ireland it was done from ne
cessity Cheers 7 he more bills of this
kind that were passed the more the House
would strengthen Mr.. Parnel's influence.
He had no doubt that the bill would lead to
an increase Of crime ana secret societies.
Legislation against nation was vain and
futile. The combinations in Ireland could
not be suppressed. In his view the bill was
poison. he would not present it to the lips
of Ireland. 1t must be presented by other
hands; and il would be an honor and
source of happiness to him to think that
he was permitted to have the smallest share
in dashing it to the ground. Mr.. Gladstone
resumed his seat amid loud cheers.
Mr.. Balfour and Mr.. Parnell rose togeth
err, and after standing sometime amid cheers
and counter. cheers the speaker recognized
Mr.. Balfour.
Mr.. Ballour began by advising Mr.. Sexton
if he could to bring action for libel against
the Times as the best way to refute the
charges made by that paper. As to the
pledge asked by Mr.. Gladstone in reference
to the land bill he said that of course the
government were committed to every bill Of
iirst-class importance. He maintained that
much statistical information as any OF their
predecessors. All they had tainted Mr..
Gladstone with was with having consented
TO twenty one coercion bills.
Mr.. Parnell followed. He said that Mr. Bal
four had, with Characteristic unfsirness, refused
him. at time when his words would have reach
ed the outside world, the ten minutes he crayed
to refer to the vile, barefaced forgery CHEERS from
the Irish membersl printed in the Times obviously
for no other purpose than to influence the divis-
ion. He thought he WAS entitled to have an OPP
portunity to expose this deliberate attempt to
blacken his character in time TO reach the outside
world. There was 10 chance now In addition
to passing this coercion act the dice had to be
loaded Great organs of public opinion were to
be permitted TO pay miserable creatures to produce
these cslumnies, who would be safe under such
circumstances. When lie heard of the eoncoction
III the Times he supposed that some autograph of
his had fallen into the hands of person iorwhom
it was not intended but when he the letter
he saw plainly that the signature was auda-
cious unblushing fabrication. He failed to
derstand how the conductors OF what used to be q
respectable journal could have been hoaxed and
bamboozled into publishing the letter his.
| [Cheers.l Members who compared the forgery with
his signature would that only two letters of the
| forged signature bore any resemblance to his
| t0graph and the Times could have seen the same
He never heard of or saw any such letter until
| IL appeared in the Times. Parnellc cheers
Its phraseoogy was absurd and its purport pre-
posterous. and every part of it bore evidence of
an sb,Olute and irrefragib.e want of genuineness.
lie said he had never known the late Mr.. Fors-
ter's life to be in danger, or that there was any
conspiracy against him. He did not know any
thing of The conspiracy of the invncibles. and
| body was surprised than himself when the
blow fell upon their victims. If he had been in
PhGnix Park that day he would gladly have
stood between Lord Cavendsh and the dagger of
the assassin, between the daggers and Mr.
| Burke. Irish cheers He had suffered more
than any other man from that terrible deed, aud
Ireland had suffered more than other nation. 1t
was absolutely untrue that the National League
had any communication whatever, direct or Dd-
rect, with the Fenian organization in America.
He never had any dealings with anybody in
America IN respect to the proceedings doings
Of any societies. All his sayings and doings in
connection with Irish public life lave been open
and above board. Cheersl As to the bill under
discussion it was the most drastic measure pro-
posed since 1888. Itwould empower the govern. |
ment to subject their political opponents to treat
-rant resarved FIR fIe yorst criminals in Enc